Hat-steaming machine



` vJune 9, 1925.

, 1,540,974 w. wlLsoN HATy STEAMING MACHINE FiledJa'n, 30. 1924 A Afram/5m,

Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED; STATES i 1,540,974 PATENT oFFics.-

WILLIAM Winsen, or snLiviA,` ALABAMA.

HAnsTnAivinvG MACHINE.

Application filed January 30, 1924. Serial N'o.Y 689,410.

To al? 'i072 om z'' fiiag/ concern.'

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM lViLsoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Selma, inthe county of Dallas, in the State ofAlabama, haveA invented certain new and useful Improvements inHat-Steaming Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, andexactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming part of'this specilication.

My invention relates to machines for steaming and blocking the crownsand brinis of hats, ofthe kind shown in my former latent No.`1,441,258of January 9th, 199.3, and it has special relation to improvements inthe steaming bell'whereby the efficiency Vof the apparatusmay be greatlyenhanced.

One of the principal features of'my iinproved device is the constructiniwhereby the water of condensation is effectively taken care' of and j)revented from leaking through the perforations and coming into contactwith the hat, so thatany hat may be steamed and blocked immediatelywithout waiting until the outer shell has become sohot as to eliminatecondensation, and at the saine time effecting a greatsaving in the steamhereto required for the preliminary heating of the bell.

Another feature ofthe invention consists in the improved constructionof. inner and outer shells for strength and durability, and to permitthe joining of the two parts reaciily and easily with steam andwaterproof gasketed joints, and further to provide a seamless trough forthe collection and disposal of the water of condensation `and toeffectively provide for the drainage of the crown portion of the bell. y

The above features of the improvement and other `features not abovementioned will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out v andclaimed in the specifications that follow.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged central vertical section of the steaming bell. rFigure 2 is a side elevation of the entire machine reduced in size.

Figure 3 is a perspective view partly in Vprior Patent No. 1,441,258, ofJanuary `f), 1925i, in which the steaming bell is mounted on an inclinedstandard 1, which carries the vertically adjustable table 2 sliding onguides l with connecting bars el. to the foot treadle 5, by theoperation ofl which the table is raised to bring the stand G with theproper sized flange block 7 under the steaming bell. Y

n The steaming bell comprises an imperferate outer metallic shell orcasing 8, and a perforated inner metallic shell 9,the walls of both ofwhich are made of substantial thickness to give strength and durability.

.Each of the shells has outwardly curved l fianges 10, 11 and at thejuncture of the flange, the outer shell is provided with an inner circuinferential rib 12 whichlits in an annular seat 13 in the innershell.

. A the parts are drawn tightly together by counter-sunk 4screws 15at'suitable points, so as to provide a steam and watei.'tigl1t joint.'lhe lower end 18 of the flange 11 of the perforated shell is turned upand engages within a seat 16 formed iu the lower edge of the flange ofthey outer shell and a gasket 17 is applied at this joint and the partssecured together by countersunk screws 19. y

This method ofV providing joints which may be supplied withy gaskets andthus may be made steam and water tight is much preferable to anymachined joint such as suggested in my` former patent, and also permitsthe shells Vto be readily and easily opened up for. cleaning orotherwise.

In order to prevent any water of condensation leaking through theperforations 20 of the inner bell 9, I provide metal shields 21 whichare attached by bolts 22 with spacing washers 23 to cover theperforations 20, allowing sufficient space, however, for the freecirculation of steam. These shields are preferably made of suitable,non-corrosive metal, as thin as compatible with strength and durability,but adapted to heat veri,r quickly, so as to condense as little steam aspossible. y

The rib 12 is provided with openings in which drain pipes 24e areinserted to drain any water of condensation from the crown portion ofthe bell into the brim portion above the shield plates, which watercollects in the seamless trough 25 lin the turned up gasket 14. .isprovided for `this joint and portion of the inner flange whence it iscarried to and removed by the drain pipe -inclined standard, only onedrain pipe 24k will be necessary.

The steam is supplied to the two compartments, the one for the crown andthe other for the brim through a steam supply pipe 27, which forconvenience passes up through the standard `and thence through properlyvalved vbranch Vpipes to a coil 28in the crown portion and a coil 2S) inthe brim portion ot the bell, both ot' the coils being plugged at theirouter ends and provided with perfor-ations along their respectivelengths for the delivery oit the steam.

In order toy protect the sweat band ofthe hat under treatment, so thatit shall not be necessary tok remove the Vsweat band, I provide a bandblock comprising a solid plate 30, with a circular `flange 3l. tolembrace the sweat band. and'itormed with a projecting lip 32. r'lhis lipmay be a straight lip, but I preter to provide a curved lip, as it moreellectivelyprotects the head of the sweat band. A- handle 33, is secured`across the flanged portion for easy manipulation.

Itfwill be understood, ofcourse, that for the 'stoan'iing bell abovedescribed, flange l'ilocllis forv the brims and sweat band blocks forthe inside oil' the hat, will be furnished of the standard sizes ofhats, so that the steaming bell can be used for allr ot the ordinarysizes of hats.

The manipulation of the machine willbe obvious and -is the same vas inmy heretofore kmentioned patent, and Yneed not be again described,except possibly to vpoint out that f the protection of 'thepertorationsof the inner casing against theilealring of condensed steam,permits there-blocking and reforming of the hat ata moments notice, withyout thevdelay heretofore necessary in first `Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters f Patentyis 1. A.steaming bell for hats comprising an i'mperforate outer shell and aperforated inner shell,with means Vto hold the shells in spaced relationand to form a steam tight compartment, a perforated steamY pipe for saidcon-apartment, with metallic` shields of thin material interposedbetween the perforated ,coil 'and the perforations of the inner shell toprevent leakage of 'condensed water therethrough.

2. A steaming bell for hats comprising an imperforate outer shell and aperforated inner shell, with a rib to hold the shells in.

spaced relation and to divide the `inner space -m-to two lcompartmentswith a coil or steam pipe in each compartment, and

metallic shields interposed between the per-A 'lorated 'coils and theper-orations ot the inner shell to lnevente-leakage ot condensed watertherethrough, and drainage communication between the compartments tocarry ott the drainage 'water therefrom. n

3. A steaming `bell for hats comprising an imper'forate outer shell yandaperforated in- `ner shell ywith-a rib to =hold the shells in spacedvrelation and to div-ide the inner space into two compartments, with acoil otsteam pipe in each compartment, and metallic shields interposed--between the perforated coils Aand the, perorations of the inner shellto yprevent' leakage of condensed water vtherethrough, andfdrainagecommunication between the compartments `to `carry oil' the drainagewater therefrom, with a trough in the bottomfof the flower compartmentyto receive the-drainage `water and deliver it Y from the fbell.

WILLIAM wrL'soN

